Webber reunion could go all wrong

Published 4:00 am, Monday, January 28, 2008

Photo: BEN MARGOT

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Golden State Warriors' Chris Webber, right, receives a handshake from Warriors head coach Don Nelson during a news conference Tuesday, May 3, 1994, at the Oakland, Calif., Coliseum Arena, where Webber was named the 1994 NBA Rookie of the Year. At 21 years of age, Webber is the second-youngest player in history to receive the award; Shaquille O'Neal was two days younger when he received the Gottlieb trophy. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) ALSO RAN: 2/11/2000 CAT less

Golden State Warriors' Chris Webber, right, receives a handshake from Warriors head coach Don Nelson during a news conference Tuesday, May 3, 1994, at the Oakland, Calif., Coliseum Arena, where Webber was named ... more

Photo: BEN MARGOT

Webber reunion could go all wrong

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Advisory to Warriors fans: Whatever you might think of Chris Webber, get ready for his arrival. In the wake of Don Nelson's surprisingly frank comments Sunday night, it would be a shock if Webber doesn't come to Oakland.

Nelson seemed to be preparing the media, and thus everyone who follows the team, for the signing of Webber as a free agent, perhaps as soon as this week. It's conceivable that Webber has set his sights on another team - the Lakers would be a pretty good bet - and Nelson was simply rambling for fun, but that seems doubtful. He is genuinely concerned about the Warriors' chances to make the playoffs, and he believes Webber can make the difference.

Nelson made such a strong case for Webber, even those most opposed to the idea (such as this columnist) began to consider the positives. I'm still against it, but one point cannot be debated: The plight of the Warriors, already widely considered the most watchable team in the league, would not be dull.

Nelson's pregame news conference began with this question: Are you such a forgiving person that you could work with Webber again?

"Absolutely," said Nelson, whose tempestuous relationship with Webber destroyed a highly entertaining Golden State team in 1994 and set the stage for more than a decade of futility. "We've both matured nicely since that day. I just don't see a problem."

Nelson said that though he and Webber haven't had enough contact to consider each other friends, they have talked over the years, and especially of late. "You know, like 'How you doing,' or 'Let bygones be bygones,' that sort of thing," said Nelson. "We were both pretty stubborn back then. I was maybe too tough, and he was maybe too young. I think we've learned a lot. I'm an old man and he's an old player (laughter). Actually, 34 really isn't that old in this league."

One thing seems certain: Were Webber to reunite with Nelson, there wouldn't be another scorched-earth blowup. Both men are too smart for that. They aren't such polar opposites that they couldn't work quite well together. Personal issues, in other words, should be the least of a fan's concerns.

How it all works on the floor, however, is another matter. Nelson's most relevant comment was, essentially, a warning. "I'm not afraid of working with Chris Webber. I'm afraid that if we don't get him here, we're not strong enough to be a playoff team. We've been very fortunate not to have a major injury so far, and I've been pushing guys pretty hard. If you fall for just a week or two, maybe lose five in a row, you can be out of the playoffs in an instant."

Such is life in the NBA's Western Conference, in which the Warriors (27-18) have been a viable, exciting team - particularly on the road - but find themselves without any guarantee of making the postseason. Nobody counted on Portland being so explosive, or the Lakers making such a dramatic turnaround when Andrew Bynum was healthy. The plain fact is that the Warriors would do well to nail down the eighth and final spot in the West, and Nelson would prefer a bit of breathing room.

A few things work in Webber's favor here. For one, the players want him on the team. That was abundantly clear in their weekend comments to the Warriors' beat writers. Though the club's leadership hierarchy is loosely assembled, Webber isn't going to supplant Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson as the spiritual beacons.

By far his greatest contribution, the way it looks from here, would be in the Warriors' halfcourt set. For all the talk about the Warriors' run-and-gun style, there are always those moments - especially in the playoffs - when they have to run some plays. Far too often, they settle for a three-point shot. Considering that their long-range shooters are suspect - every last one of them - that's a cheap, risky, very non-fundamental way to go.

Webber might not be a major scoring threat in the low post, but he knows what to do down there. Kick the ball into Webber, and some good mid-range shots appear. Nobody can say that he's not a brilliant passer, and if he comes to Oakland in a generous mood, the results at slow-down time could be spectacular. He also adds a piece to the Warriors' rotation, Nelson being highly distrustful of adding anyone else to the mix.

Consider, though, how it all could go wrong:

-- Some would say Nelson is trying to prove a point by erasing one of the few blemishes on his coaching reputation, even at the cost of chemistry.

-- We haven't seen enough of the Warriors' thrilling new identity. It started late last season and reached life-changing heights in the playoffs. If Webber shows up this week, it ends far too soon.

-- Among many people who closely have followed his career, Webber is known as a phony and a con man - "invariably a pain in the ass," as one insider put it Sunday night. It's not like the team is bringing in Grant Hill.

-- Everything about Webber says "yesterday." Really bleak yesterdays, in the Warriors' case. He hasn't played a minute this season, and even if he arrives in reasonable shape, he can't run with the likes of Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins and Davis, no matter what the players say. He can't do it, OK? Can't.

-- Webber simply isn't a winner. Wasn't in college, hasn't been in the NBA. As a shooter at crunch time, he is a time-tested failure.

-- He gives the team some size, absolutely. But if he takes significant minutes away from Biedrins and others considered to be part of the team's future, it would be a crime.

-- Even if the experiment works, the Warriors are no larger a playoff threat to the giants of the Western Conference than they were before. It's not like the move has "championship" written all over it, and with Webber almost certain to leave the team (and perhaps retire) in the summer, it would set the stage for discord and transition on a roster that, to this point, cries out for longevity.

If this were a detective novel, you'd expect someone to mutter, "It sounds crazy, but it just might work." I know I've always felt foolish challenging Nelson's opinion on any subject. "Crazy," though, is definitely the word.

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